This is an improvement on the applicant's earlier composite structure described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,757,485, assigned to the assignee hereof. In the earlier construction a main support member or joist was formed of two outer sheaths, with stiffening bridge means internally interconnecting the sheaths and spacing them apart. In the art of construction with standardized elements, considerable advance was made by the construction disclosed by the applicant's earlier patent. However, limitations and problems have remained. One of them was that the stiffening bridge means had to be inserted in a joist by longitudinal sliding. This was complex and expensive and was not always conducive to an arcuate structure.
Another type of composite structure is known from British Pat. No. 930,827. This structure comprises a wall of partitions, with vertical spaced pillars and panels located therebetween. The pillars are equipped with detachable sections and clips for attaching them to the panels. The patent proposes specific limited structure, not construction based on standardized elements and particularly not a construction of wide applicability and which can be completed readily and permanently.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,034,609 discloses a partition wall structure comprising horizontal and vertical elements which form a framework with grooves, parallel spaced apart panels transversely fitting into the grooves, and a number of feet supporting the assembly. The connection of the panels to the elements forming the framework according to this patent is made by flexible clips while the framework is connected to the feet by bolts.
These several types of connecting means and composite structures comprising them are well known in the art. They are also known to have a number of defects and drawbacks. Among other things, they are hard to assemble. When assembled, they are not always reliable. Their structure, and also their appearance, is not always satisfactory.